Radiosocket



lime 24, 1930. J, B, ,GREY 1,767,139

RADIO .SOCKET Filed Sept. 15, 1925 MX/QMM Affe z'pgys Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT o'FFIc JAMES B; KIRBY, yor WEST R'Icnrrnnm omo;

RADIOSOCKET Application leaseptember 15.1925.v serjiaim. 56;45'6.

as to shield the tubes from mechanical shocks generatedithereby. Other objects ofthe in` ventionare to'provide a flexibly mounted socket 1in which the cushioning` effect shall beh produced by the same contact members which complete the circuits; the provision of' means whereby good contact is-lnsured without impairing thefcushioningee'ct; theV provision of sockets which shall produce a" minimum of current lossA by eddy-currents,` inductance, capacity,l or leakage; the pro'- visi'on of a'socket` readily adaptable to different sizes'of tubes; while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying' andfforming a part of'this'application I have illustrated certain physical forms in which my inventive idea isembodied although it will be understood that these drawings are A merelyillustrative of the principles of my invention and are not intended to be exhaustive of all the mechanical adaptations of Lthe same. Fig. lisa/top plan 1viewA of myl improved socket; Figs. Qfvand 3 vare vertical sectional views corresponding to the lines 2 2 and 3-3 thereof respectively; Fig.V 4 is a sep` arated perspective view'of 'the different parts of my improved socket; Fig. 5 is 'a sectional' view partly in elevation of a: substitutej socketfmember adapted to receive a smaller based tube, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the-center body. Y

" My improved socket comprises essentially a rigid base part adapted to be secured to a suitable'foundation, and a receptacle portion flexibly coupled theretoi T comprises, a hollow block of insulatingjmateria-l such as Bakelite,y hard r`ubber`,` porcelainlor-the'like, having affla-t top 1 and a dehis `basel portion pendingl side wall 2, said top blei'ng 'formed with a centra-l opening?) formed zit-opposite` points with lnotches Carried by' this top are four conta-ct sp'ringsor"i thiny flexible metal which overlap the aperture 3`and"`are rigidly secured to the base ata suiicienttdisi tance from-their inner: ends' torender the" latter freel-yiexible. Theseifastenings pref# erabl-y include suitable bindingposts Gby mea-ns' ofwhich wires may: beconnected; 4although 'the' ends of tlre springs" are' also' pret era'bly extended as 'at 7 to form solder ears. I havel shown Ithese springsas locatedabov'e'v the top' l,l although I do not' limit'myself thereto.

The receptacle comprises' a cylindrical part l0 also-made'of insulating'materia'l such asBakelite, hard rubber; or any one ofnumerous synthetic wakes, its cavity being'the size and shape to receive snuglythe base' 11i oan electronic tube suchv as is illustrated lin Figs. 2 and 3. Thisreceptafcleisformedat a tsui-tableA point lwith al bayonet `slot 12 'for the receptionzof the bayonet pin lfwith' whichl such tubef base is provided.l ,The1 op'- posite end ofy this receptacle is bridged by a" narrow member'v 14,j preferably' inte "ralV therewith; and depending suiiicient'ly below the receptacle so as to eXtehd-'intofthe aper# ture 3'to a-pointbelowthe" top surfaced. The two sides of the member ltfare A.termed to it'loosely in the notchesf-: Carried by the'base member and extendingl fromend1 to end Ithereof is aV securing 'member 4ly'lrrefer'ablymadetof insulatingmaterial, but also' preferably` elastic to alsubstantialwde'greei This isl-shown-as a thin 'rectangular strip havingits` twol ends received in slots 16 formed in'the flange 2'. Thisst'rip projects acrossjthemember 145m su'chfwise asto lock the'twopartsl'oosely together. The'strip 15J-is``formed at itscenter-With an aperture 17 in whichr is-'mounte'dahollow thi-mbleshown enlarged inFig Gand comprising an elongated body 18 and havingat itsflowerr end the circularV flange 19. This thimbleis provided with a Ydownfvardly opening' cavity QObfa size and shape to rece'iver loosely the u,p'sta'ndingV point l21015 a screw :22carriedby the member? 141i Then assembled the flange 19 engages the bottom face of the strip 15 while the body of the tliimble rises into the space between the ends of the four springs 5-5.

When the tube base is secured in this receptacle, the contact points 24 with which said tube is provided press downwardly on the springs 5 5, respectively, whose upward force elevates the tube and receptacle so as to bring the point 21 of the screw 22 into engagement with the bottoni of the recess of the thiinble and also to bend the strip 15 a small amount. It is an important feature of my invention that when thus assembled the end of the screw 21 lies substantially on the saine plane with the ends of the contacts 24. Owing to the fact that the strip 15 is generally considerablystier than the springs the amount of its deflection is smaller than that exhibited by the springs yet it is preferable that the same be suiiiciently limber to exhibit at least a slight deflection. Vith this arrangement the tube together with its receptacle can gyrate or wabble freely about the point of the screw 21 as a center, and inasmuch as this lies in the same plane withthe ends of thecontact members this gyration is not resisted by any frictional rubbing between the contacts and springs but is merely cushioned by their pressure.

Accordingly cushioning is effected by the same springs which produce the contact and is not impeded in any manner so that the tube is effectively insulated from mechanical shocks or vibrations.

In case the socket is to be employed lfor tubes of a diferent sized base it is sufficient merely to substitute a receptacle of different size as shown at 10a in Fig. 5, the same comprising a member 14 of the size previously described. Then the device is made of such material as Bakelite it is generally best to form this member 14 integral with the receptacle although I do not limit myself to this construction. In order to hold the strip 15 in place the simplest inode is to form the same with apertures 25 in line with the holes 26 in the base by means of which the same is .fastened to the foundation with which it is used. It will be understood, however, thatv a great many changes in form, shape, size, arrangement, appearance and designroi` all the different parts can be `inade without departing from the scope of my invention and that I do not limit myself in any wise except as recited in my several claims which I desire maybe construed-each independently of limitations contained-in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: n

1. AV cushioned socket for radio tubes comprising a plurality of springs which press against the contact points of the tube, and a receptacle member adapted to withstand the pressure of saidi.springs, said receptacle member being mounted for universal movement about a center located between and in substantially the saine plane with said contact points.

2. A radio socket comprising a base, a receptacle pivoted to said base, and a plurality of contact springs carried by said base and adapted to engage the contact points of a tube secured in said receptacle, said springs serving the double function of' electrical connections to said pointsand cushioning supports for said tube, the pivot center being located between said contact points and in substantially the same plane therewith.

3. A radio socket comprising a base, a non-metallic receptacle flexibly coupled thereto, a pluralitf of springs carried by said base adapted to engage the contact points of a tube which is secured in said socket, said springs being wholly separate `from and independent of said receptacle and the coupling between said base and receptacle including a flexible joint between said springs and substantially in the same. plane with the ends of said contact points.

4i. In a radio socket, in combination abase having a .hole in its top, a receptacle having a bridging member projecting through said hole, a coupling member carried by said base and intersecting said bridging member to hold the yparts loosely together, said receptacle adapted to receive a vradio tube, and springs carried by said base adapted to en-` gage the contactpoints of such tube and convey current thereto and also to hold said receptacle 'away from said base.

5. In a radio socket, in combination, a base, a receptacle adapted to receive a radio tube and having open top and bottom, said base being flexibly coupled to said `receptacle, such coupling including a pivot point located between said contact points and sub-Y stantially in the same plane therewith, and a plurality of contact springs carried by said base adapted to be engaged by said points and also to support the weight of said receptacle and tube.

6. In a radio socket, a receptacle having an open top andbottom adapted to receive a tube, and a bridging membervcarried rby one end of said receptacle, in` combination with a base member having springs adapted to engage the tube contacts and press the' sameV in one direction and also having aV securing member engaging said bridging member to withstand the thrust of said spi-ings.

7. In a radio socket, in combination, a.

base having an apertured top andy-a surrounding depending side wall, a receptacle openat both ends and. adapted to receive a tube, said receptacle having a bridging member projecting beyond one endand depending into the aperture in said top, a removable member carried by saidbase and projecting through said bridging member, and springs carried by said base and projecting into the space between said base and receptacle so as to be engaged by the contact points of any tube secured in said receptacle.

8. A receiver for radio tubes comprising a base, a plurality of elastic sheet metal springs carried by said base, a non-metallic tube receiving member movable relatively to said base7 said base and member having interfitting, substantially rigid portions and said springs being of a strength to support said receiver and the attached tube in such yielding manner relatively to said base as to cushion said tube against external shocks, the degree of relative movement between said base and receiver permitted by the amount of play between said interitting portions being less than the limit of elas ticity of said springs whereby injury to the latter is prevented.

In testimony whereoi'l I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES B. KIRBY. 

